Tooth storage means

Abstract

A tooth storage means comprising a body having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section of the body having a downwardly extending portion providing a plurality of tooth elements corresponding to the upper teeth of a subject and the lower section of the body having an upwardly extending portion providing a plurality of tooth elements corresponding to the lower teeth of the subject. Each of the tooth elements has a receptacle cavity therein for receiving, storing and completely enclosing a corresponding individual tooth of the subject. The upper and lower tooth elements each have an appearance, arrangement and configuration corresponding to and simulating the upper and lower teeth of the subject and are of a transparent material allowing the display and viewing therethrough of the teeth of the subject received within respective cavities of the booth elements. The body has top and bottom covers which are removable and replaceable for completely enclosing the receptacle cavities of the upper and lower tooth elements respectively and for providing access thereto. The front vertical surface of the body is curved and has a mouth opening and lip portions simulating the upper and lower lips of a subject and the upper and lower tooth elements extend into the mouth opening from behind the lip portions for simulating the appearance of a subject.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tooth storage means comprising a body having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section of the body has a downwardly extending portion providing a plurality of individually distinct tooth elements having respective outer configurations corresponding to upper teeth of a subject and the lower section of the body has an upwardly extending portion providing a plurality of individually distinct tooth elements having respective outer configurations corresponding to lower teeth of the subject, each of the tooth elements has a receptacle cavity therein for loosely receiving and storing therein an individual corresponding tooth of the subject. 
     
     
       2. The tooth storage means of claim 1 in which the upper and lower tooth elements are respectively spaced and shaped to have an appearance, arrangement and configuration corresponding to a set of upper and lower teeth of a subject and are of a transparent material allowing the displaying and viewing therethrough of the teeth of a subject received within respective cavities of the tooth elements. 
     
     
       3. The tooth storage means of claim 2 in which the upper and lower sections of the body have respective top and bottom surfaces, the cavities of the upper tooth elements of the upper section of the body are each separate and distinct from each other and extend upwardly to the top surface for loosely receiving thereinto respective upper teeth of a subject and the cavities of the lower tooth elements of the lower section of the body are each separate and distinct from each other and extend downwardly to the bottom surface for loosely receiving thereinto respective lower teeth of a subject. 
     
     
       4. The tooth storage means of claim 22 in which the top and bottom covers respectively comprise top and bottom cover plates slidably engaging the body and respectively received over the top and bottom surfaces of the body, and each of the cover plates has an outer surface which provides for the receipt for indicia thereon relating to each of the teeth of a subject stored in respective tooth elements. 
     
     
       5. The tooth storage means of claim 1 in which the tooth elements have an appearance arrangement and configuration corresponding to upper and lower teeth of a subject and are of a transparent material allowing the displaying and viewing therethrough of the teeth of a subject received within respective cavities of the tooth elements. 
     
     
       6. The tooth storage means of claim 5 in which the front surface of the body has a curved surface corresponding to the curved arrangement of the teeth of a subject and the mouth opening has upper and lower edges which are spaced apart so that the upper and lower tooth elements are visually exposed therethrough. 
     
     
       7. The tooth storage means of claim 6 in which the upper and lower edges of the mouth opening have adjacent lip portions respectively simulating the upper lip and lower lip of a subject, and the upper tooth elements extend into the mouth opening from behind the upper lip portion and the lower tooth elements extend into the mouth opening from behind the lower lip portion. 
     
     
       8. The tooth storage means of claim 7 in which the upper and lower sections of the body have respective top and bottom surfaces, the cavities of the upper tooth elements of the upper section of the body extend upwardly to the top surface for receiving thereinto respective upper teeth of a subject and the cavities of the lower tooth elements of the lower section of the body extend downwardly to the bottom surface for receiving thereinto respective lower teeth of a subject. 
     
     
       9. The tooth storage means of claim 8 in which the body has a top cover which is movable for controllably enclosing the top surface and the cavities of the upper tooth elements, and a bottom cover which is movable for controllably enclosing the bottom surface and the cavities of the lower tooth elements. 
     
     
       10. The tooth storage means of claim 9 in which the top and bottom covers respectively comprise top and bottom cover plates slidably engaging the body and respectively received over the top and bottom surfaces of the body and each of the cover plates has an outer surface which provides for the receipt of indicia thereon relating to the teeth of a subject stored in respective tooth elements. 
     
     
       11. The tooth storage means of claim 5 in which the upper and lower sections of the body are connected by a rear wall portion providing the rear surface of the body, and the rear wall portion is of a transparent material permitting the viewing of the tooth elements therethrough. 
     
     
       12. The tooth storage means of claim 7 in which the upper section of the body has an upper gum ridge bordering the mouth opening behind the upper edge of the mouth opening providing the appearance of the upper gum ridge of a subject and the upper tooth elements protrudes downwardly therefrom into the mouth opening, and the lower section of the body has a lower gum ridge bordering the mouth opening behind the lower edge of the mouth opening providing the appearance of the lower gum ridge of a subject and with the lower tooth elements protruding upwardly therefrom into the mouth opening. 
     
     
       13. The tooth storage means of claim 12 in which the front surface, upper and lower lip portions, and the upper and lower gum ridges of the body have respective colors simulating those of a subject. 
     
     
       14. A tooth storage means comprising a body including a plurality of individually distinct tooth elements having respective configurations corresponding to a set of adjacently positioned teeth of a subject each of the tooth elements having a separate receptacle cavity therein for loosely receiving, completely enclosing therein, and storing an individual corresponding tooth of a subject. 
     
     
       15. A tooth storage means comprising a body including a plurality of individually distinct tooth elements spaced and shaped to have an appearance, arrangement and respective configurations corresponding to a set of adjacently positioned teeth of a subject each of the tooth elements having a separate receptacle cavity therein for loosely receiving and storing an individual corresponding tooth of a subject and are of a transparent material allowing the displaying and viewing therethrough of the teeth of a subject received within respective separate cavities of the tooth elements. 
     
     
       16. The tooth storage means of claim 15 in which the body has an outer surface and the cavities of the tooth elements are each separate and distinct from each other and extend to the outer surface for receiving thereinto respective teeth of a subject. 
     
     
       17. The tooth storage means of claim 16 in which the outer surface of the body has a cover securable with the body and movable for controllably enclosing the top surface of the body and cavities of the tooth elements while still allowing the display of the tooth elements. 
     
     
       18. The tooth storage means of claim 17 in which the cover comprises a cover plate which slidably engages the body and is received over the outer surface of the body, and the cover plate has an outer surface which provides for the receipt of indicia thereon relating to each of the teeth of a subject stored in respective tooth elements. 
     
     
       19. The tooth storage means of claim 18 in which the body has substantially vetical front and rear surfaces and the said outer surface of the body is a horizontal plane surface, the front surface of the body has a curved surface corresponding to the curved arrangement of the teeth of a subject. 
     
     
       20. The tooth storage means of claim 19 in which the tooth elements of the body are respectively spaced and shaped to have an appearance, arrangement and configuration corresponding to a set of adjacently positioned upper teeth of a subject. 
     
     
       21. A tooth storage means comprising a body including a plurality of tooth elements corresponding to a set of adjacently positioned teeth of a subject each of the tooth elements having a receptacle cavity therein for storing an individual corresponding tooth of a subject, the body has an outer surface and the cavities of the tooth elements extend to the outer surface for receiving thereinto respective teeth of a subject, the outer surface of the body has a cover which is movable for controllably enclosing the top surface of the body and cavities of the tooth elements, the cover comprises a cover plate which slidably engages the body and is received over the outer surface of the body, and the cover plate has an outer surface which provides for the receipt of indicia thereon relating to each of the teeth of a subject stored in respective tooth elements, the body has substantially vertical front and rear surfaces and the said outer surface of the body is a horizontal plane surface, the front surface of the body has a curved surface corresponding to the curved arrangement of the teeth of a subject, the tooth elements have an appearance, arrangement and configuration corresponding to a set of adjacently positioned lower teeth of a subject and are of a transparent material allowing the displaying and viewing therethrough of the teeth of a subject received within respective cavities of the tooth elements. 
     
     
       22. A tooth storage means comprising a body having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section of the body has a downwardly extending portion providing a plurality of tooth elements corresponding to upper teeth of a subject and the lower section of the body has an upwardly extending portion providing a plurality of tooth elements corresponding to lower teeth of the subject, each of the tooth elements has a receptacle cavity therein for receiving and storing an individual corresponding tooth of the subject, the upper and lower tooth elements have an appearance, arrangement and configuration corresponding to upper and lower teeth of a subject and are of a transparent material allowing the displaying and viewing therethrough of the teeth of a subject received within respective cavities of the tooth elements, the upper and lower sections of the body have respective top and bottom surfaces, the cavities of the upper tooth elements of the upper section of the body extend upwardly to the top surface for receiving thereinto respective upper teeth of a subject and the cavities of the lower tooth elements of the lower section of the body extend downwardly to the bottom surface for receiving thereinto respective lower teeth of a subject, the body has a top cover which is movable for controllably enclosing the top surface and the cavities of the upper tooth elements, and a bottom cover which is movable for controllably enclosing the bottom surface and the cavities of the lower tooth elements. 
     
     
       23. A tooth storage means comprising a body having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section of the body has a downwardly extending portion providing a plurality of tooth elements corresponding to upper teeth of a subject and the lower section of the body has an upwardly extending portion providing a plurality of tooth elements corresponding to lower teeth of the subject, each of the tooth elements has a receptacle cavity therein for receiving and storing an individual corresponding tooth of the subject, the body has substantially vertical front and rear surfaces, and its upper and lower sections have respective top and bottom horizontal plane surfaces, the front surface of the body has a mouth opening between its upper and lower sections simulating the mouth opening of a subject, the upper tooth elements of the upper section extend downwardly within the mouth opening of the body, and the lower teeth elements of the lower section extend upwardly within the mouth opening of the body and toward the upper tooth elements.